Defectives, Epileptics: United States. Massachusetts. Palmer. State Hospital for Epileptics: Dayroom and dormitory Farm Group #1, 1907. 1907

Editor: This photograph, taken in 1907 by Woodhead Studio, is entitled "Defectives, Epileptics: United States. Massachusetts. Palmer. State Hospital for Epileptics: Dayroom and dormitory Farm Group #1". The rows of beds create a rather unsettling feeling. What's your interpretation of this image? Curator: It's a stark reminder of early 20th-century attitudes toward disability. State hospitals like this were often sites of social control, reflecting eugenic beliefs about who was deemed "fit" for society. How does the clinical, almost sterile composition affect your understanding of the image’s purpose? Editor: It definitely adds to the feeling of detachment and institutionalization. I see that the photograph’s creation and display contributes to the social narrative around disability at the time. Curator: Exactly. And thinking about the image’s circulation helps us understand its role in shaping public perception. I'm struck by how this photograph exposes uncomfortable truths about our history. Editor: Me too. It certainly provides a powerful and thought-provoking insight into a difficult part of history.